Should anti-abortion ads be posted on Guelph Transit buses?

The controversial issue heads to CAFE committee July 7

GUELPH — Jakki Jeffs gave a heavy sigh when she learned a petition asking for the removal of Right to Life ads on Guelph Transit buses is heading to the Corporate Administration, Finance and Enterprise Committee on July 7.

A local woman, Heather Millman, has spear-headed a campaign to have anti-abortion advertisements banned from being posted on city buses and city-owned property.

Millman has collected about 3,000 signatures so far and intends to present the petition to the CAFE committee.

"In Canada women have the legal right to choose whether or not to abort a pregnancy. Women who exercise their right to choose should not be shamed by public bus ads promoting a subjective moral opposition to this right. It is shameful that the City of Guelph chooses the revenue from these ads over promoting women's legal rights and in doing so that it displays obvious prejudice against many of its citizens. The City of Guelph should hence remove all anti-abortion ads from its public buses and abstain from running any such biased and offensive ads in the future," the petition reads.

There are two different ads on four city buses. One reads: "This is a Child. Not a Choice. Why Abortion when there are alternatives?" with the word 'choice' crossed out in red. Accompanying this ad is a picture of a fetus at 19 weeks.

The second Simply Human ad includes the words: "I'm not a potential person, I'm a person with potential" and six photos of fetuses in utero.

On the website change.org, where the petition is available, Millman explains that by crossing out the word choice, Right to Life is indeed eliminating choice — choice that is supported in federal legislation that says it is not illegal to have an abortion.

Jeffs, president of the not-for-profit Guelph and Area Right to Life which purchases the advertising space, said the ads meet Canadian Code of Advertising standards and they only contain "the facts."

"They are not messages of hate; they are not pornographic," Jeffs said in a phone interview. "Unless city council is into the business of censorship, there should be no changes there.

"This is the reality. If you don't want to look at it, don't allow the killing of that child."

After examining the ads, the negative responses to the ads and the revenue they generate, staff is recommending that councilors direct staff to create a policy regulating advertisements on city assets that is consistent with provincial and federal legislation and that is in line with the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards as created by Advertising Standards Canada.

The report states that Guelph Transit keeps a database of complaints about advertisements on city buses and the only complaints since 2013 are over these Right to Life ads.

In 2013 it received nine formal complaints and in 2014 a 3,000-signature petition against the ads was received.

The report states the city does not have a corporate advertising policy, but "it has been the position of the city that although the Guelph and Area Right to Life advertisement may be seen as controversial, refusing to post it could be seen as limiting freedom of expression under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

A third-party sells advertising space on city buses, park benches, and bus shelters and the Guelph Storm sells advertising space at the Sleeman Centre, although transit ads are submitted to Guelph Transit for approval as well.

Ads that may be controversial are also vetted by Transit staff, legal services and the executive director of Operations, Transit and Emergency Services. The ads also contain a disclaimer indicating the ads do not represent the views of the City of Guelph.

Guelph and Area Right to Life pays $13,000 per year to post their ads on city buses — a discounted rate for non-profit organizations. The report states that going forward there will be no special rate for non-profits.

In 2013 Guelph Transit raised $237,500 through advertising revenue and Community and Social Serivces raised $155,000 through advertising at the Sleeman Centre.

The Corporate Administration, Finance and Enterprise Committee meeting gets underway at 5:30 on July 7.